Avalanche forecast

Bridgeport Avalanche Center

Bridgeport Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Human triggered avalanches are possible, naturally triggered avalanches are unlikely.  Heightened avalanche conditions on Northerly aspects in isolated pockets of complex terrain remain a concern. Weak sugary snow at the bottom of the snowpack could be the sliding layer for a large and destructive slab avalanche. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Wind Slabs still linger in the alpine and around treeline. In the Leavitt Lake area, wind slabs had gained strength and consolidated into the snowpack. Evidence of a natural avalanche cycle from last weekend's storm was seen throughout this area however some slopes did not slide naturally. A small wind slab in the alpine could be the trigger for a deep persistent slab in our snowpack. Use caution in  and around these areas today.  

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    Deep Persistent Slabs are a tricky hazard. We don't receive much information about them by looking at our traditional 5 Red flags of unstable snow. Instead, a problem that is deep in the snowpack lays dormant with no major indicator of instability, outside of the fact that they are there.  When dealing with a problem like this, choose your terrain wisely and be mindful of the destructive potential of this lingering problem. The good news is this layer of concern at the bottom of the snowpack has been gaining strength. The bad news is that the spatial variability of this problem does not represent a uniform problem throughout our forecast area. 

Avalanche Discussion

This week we spent some time in and around Leavitt Lake, investigating several aspects and elevations with ski and machine track cuts and pits. Several other groups were also out this week putting loads into the snowpack. We did not see any signs of instability in these tests. Snow pit results revealed a snowpack that is healing and gaining strength at the bottom of the snowpack. Where we went, we did not feel wind slab instability however pillowy wind depositied snow could we seen on lee slopes and cross loaded gullys. Also of note, we are several days into a cycle of cold clear nights and calm wind which should persist through the weekend.  Strong valley inversions have been in effect creating some chilly mornings in Bridgeport down to the minus single digits. 

Regions covered